


Of Pillows and Playtime

by Frozenleaf



Category: Tales of Graces
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 13:57:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14286408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frozenleaf/pseuds/Frozenleaf
Summary: Being the Lhant babysitter was a nightmare. Being forced to play as the children's captive princess, wearing a pink dress, with Sophie as his designated hero? An absolute disaster.





	Of Pillows and Playtime

**Author's Note:**

> Set about 15 years post-game, when Sophie's all grown up and Lambda finally has a humanoid body of his own, which means he totally moonlights as the resident Lhant babysitter.

This was the worst situation Lambda could ever imagine.

He bit back a growl. It took all his restraint not to pick at the pink fabric against his skin. Perched on a chair, he was surrounded on all sides by pillows. At his feet, three sets of wide, innocent blue eyes stared up at him, big grins plastered upon their normally cherubic faces. If they knew he was plotting their bloody murders, they showed not a clue.

And at the door, a puzzled expression on her face, stood Sophie Lhant- the last person he hoped to encounter in his current predicament.

"Are you... wearing a dress, Lambda?"

He flinched. How he must have looked, garbed in a sparkling pink dress. The children had found the monstrosity in the attic- vaguely, he recalled that it was one of Cheria's discarded wedding gifts. But instead of leaving it where it was, the three Lhant brats had decided it was perfect.

Honestly, Lambda thought, it was a disaster. One that his former nemesis and dearest friend was wholly witness to.

Drawing himself up, he folded his arms. "What are you doing here, Protos Heis?"

She gave a helpless little shrug, gestured to the boy at his feet. "Alfie asked me to come."

Lambda turned his glare to Alfie Lhant. The middle of Asbel's progeny, the little boy gave him the widest grin.

"Lambda's the princess!" he declared to Sophie. He waved his toy baton around. "I'm a gremlin!"

_That you are,_ Lambda cursed bitterly. He resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands. As it was, he lowered his gaze, avoiding Sophie's curious stare.

"We're playing Knights and Dragons," Arin, the oldest of Asbel's spawn, explained. The twelve-year-old girl towered over her brother and sister, a paper-mache dragon mask from the local carnival covering her trademark Lhant red hair. She puffed her chest out and continued, "I'm the dragon holding Princess Lambda captive!"

"And I'm an evil fairy!" Alys, the precocious five year old of the bunch, bounced up and down beside him. "We're all keeping Lambda pris- prees-"

"Prisoner," Alfie supplied.

Sophie frowned. "Why are you keeping Lambda prisoner?"

Alys puffed her cheeks. "Lambda is a big meanie princess!"

"The last time we played, he destroyed Alys's doll house," Arin explained.

"I was the _dragon_!" Lambda protested, nearly toppling over the pillow cell. "And lest you forget, I repaired that infernal contraption!"

"And when he played the knight, he hung me upside down!" Alfie declared.

He grit his teeth. "You would not stay dead otherwise-"

"Oh dear." Sophie sighed, and a little chuckle escaped her lips. She smiled when he inadvertently met her eyes. He lifted his head in defiance- he was _Lambda_ , damn it, pink dress or no. But oblivious to his thoughts, her smile only grew wider.

"If nobody saves him," Arin folded her arms. "Princess Lambda's going to stay in jail forever!"

"I see." There was amusement on Sophie's face, to his horror. "But if all of you are keeping Lambda prisoner, who's going to save him?"

The trio exchanged looks, then glanced at Lambda.

With a heavy sigh, Lambda recited, "None of them. I am doomed to eternal torment at their hands."

"Unless you save him!" Arin jumped up dramatically, pointing towards her sister.

He saw the sparkle in his old friend's eyes, felt his cheeks warm.

Swallowing, Lambda muttered, "I warned you brats not to trouble your sister."

"But don't you want Sophie to save you?" Alfie said, a little too loudly. The little boy turned his wide, blue eyes on him. The picture of innocence, Lambda thought- the facade of a scheming mastermind. It was all he could do to refrain from throttling the boy.

Sophie laughed. Doubled over, she leaned against the door frame, wiping a tear from her eye. "Alright," she concluded, "I'll save Lambda from your evil clutches."

His three charges let out a cheer and nearly toppled the cushions over his head. Arin and Alfie immediately rushed about the room, getting their little adventure in order, while Alys quickly led Sophie away. And Lambda? Lambda could have died from the embarrassment.

Quietly, he considered his options. Escape was not a possibility; he had promised Asbel to watch over the three brats, and no matter the situation, he couldn't abandon the children to their own devices (who knew what chaos they would concoct without his supervision). He had attempted asking (not pleading, Lambda never pleaded) to be freed from his prison, but the children were adamant about trapping him with pillows. He had no choice; he had to accept his fate. But he certainly wasn't looking forward to being 'saved' by Sophie...

"We're done, we're done!"

His thought process was cut short when Sophie and Alys returned. Sophie looked like a true hero, garbed in what Lambda recognized as some of Asbel's old clothes. How the children got their hands on their father's wardrobe, he'd have to find out later. She stood tall in blue and white, a striking sight to behold. At least, when compared to his pink, frilly dress.

Arin ran at her immediately, trying to catch her by surprise. Lambda tried to get out a warning shout, but unfortunately for him, that only earned him a whack on the head from Alys's toy wand. Still, years of battle had taught Sophie a sharp awareness. She had everything under control- dodging and weaving around her siblings' grabs. And unlike him, she always seemed to know when not to be too rough with the children, finally letting Arin and Alfie grab hold onto her arms.

Soon, even Alys joined the fray. It wasn't long before Sophie had all three siblings dangling off her various limbs; all trying desperately to drag her down while she teetered about the room. She was laughing- happy.

And as he looked at the four Lhant children playing together, he felt a smile creep onto his face. He hid it behind his hand, where they wouldn't see.

Eventually, after what seemed like a ridiculously long time, Hero Sophie managed to banish the gremlins that dogged her path, slay the dragon, and defeat the evil fairy that kept him trapped in his cell. With a sweep of her toy sword, she knocked aside the pillows holding him prisoner.

"So I've rescued Lambda, right?" Sophie asked.

"Yes, but he's still cursed!" Alfie piped up.

"I did not hear about this-" Lambda began, only for Alys to whack him with her toy wand again.

"Princess Lambda's been cursed to be an evil monster!" Arin declared. "If you leave him be, he'll just destroy Alys's doll house again!"

He growled. He knew it was a mistake for Asbel to have told the children bedtime stories about his past, but he hadn't imagined that they'd use it against him.

"That's terrible," Sophie gasped, fully engrossed in her role. "How do I break the curse?"

"True love's kiss!" the children chorused.

Lambda realized, too late, that he should have escaped while he could.

But Sophie was unfazed by the revelation. "Then I shall free the princess from his curse!" she declared bravely, stepping on top of the dismantled pillow prison. Before he could protest, she had swept him up in her arms, her face scarcely inches from his own.

"What are you playing at, Protos Heis?" he snarled.

"Exactly that," she responded cheerfully. She smiled, the picture of calm- as if she didn't have a chorus of siblings behind her chanting, 'kiss, kiss, kiss'.

His cheeks warmed. He was conscious of the pink material on his skin and his proximity to her. The scent of sopherias clung to her. He was acutely aware of her fingers on his forearm, her fringe brushing against his forehead. His mouth felt dry, but he could not summon up the words to protest. She leaned forward, and he squeezed his eyes shut-

And then she pressed a gentle, chaste kiss on his forehead.

Their audience erupted in cheers behind him, and as Sophie set him down, Lambda never felt happier- and strangely disappointed- to be free.

"Alright children, I've freed Lambda," Sophie said, stepping away from him. "Now, isn't it about time for lunch?"

The trio groaned- but when he straightened and shot them a glare, they flashed him innocent smiles before traipsing out of the room.

He waited until he couldn't hear their footsteps before letting out a sigh of relief. Sophie said nothing, hands folded behind her back. She smiled naturally, as if she hadn't just kissed him (on the forehead, of course, but it was still a kiss nonetheless).

He smoothed his skirts. Avoided her gaze. Tried to forget how it felt to be held in her arms.

"I apologize for getting you wrapped up in their games."

"They really like playing with you, don't they, Lambda?" Sophie giggled.

"You enjoyed it." He folded his arms.

"I did," she agreed. Tilting her head, she asked, "Didn't you, too?"

_Not in the slightest,_ he wanted to respond. His heart certainly hadn't fluttered at the kiss; and he certainly had not felt the burst of joy that wiped rational thought from his mind.

She was still standing close. Now that he was on his own feet, Sophie looked shorter than his humanoid frame. The gentle, carefree smile she gave him sent shivers down his spine. The way she watched him made him feel exposed; vulnerable. She stood still as she waited for his answer.

And before he could register what he was doing, his hand moved on its own. He reached over, brushed the hair out of her eyes, cupped her chin in his hand.

"Lambda?" Her voice was a whisper in his ears.

He leaned in; pressed a soft, tentative kiss onto her cheek. He could feel her breath against his skin, her warmth against his lips, her hand resting lightly on his own.

And when he pulled away, there was a question in her eyes.

"A reward," he muttered. "For saving me from those brats."

It took her a moment to respond, but when she did, her smile was sweet. "Thank you, Lambda." She giggled. "Maybe I should save you from them more often."

He cleared his throat. Her eyes twinkled up at him as she took his hands into her own.

"You make a beautiful princess."

He flushed. She bowed low, gallant and knightly, and before he could respond, she had sauntered away, humming a song under her breath.

He stared after her. The scent of sopherias still lingered in the air, just like the wistful smile on his face.

He let the minutes tick by before he decided it was safe to take off the dress. But as he did so, he gave it one last glance. The sparkly, gaudy outfit was an ill fit for him. But... it hadn't been an entirely unwelcome experience.

He shook his head. Maybe he wouldn't kill the brats for this after all.


End file.
